Pumping system and primer therefor



March 20, 1951 J. L. BOVEE, JR., ETAL 2,545,915

PUMPING SYSTEM AND PRIMER THEREFOR Filed Feb. 11, 1946 Patented Mar. 20, 1951 PUMPING SYSTEM PRIMER THEREFOR John L. Bovee, Jr., Anaheim, Calif., and Elmer M. Deters, Davenport, Iowa, assignors to Red Jacket Manufacturing 00., Davenport, Iowa, a

corporation of Iowa Application February 1 1, 1946, Serial No. 646,924

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pumps and has special reference to a deep well pumping system employing centrifugal and similar type pumps.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a novel structure for rendering a centrifugal pumping system self-priming.

Another object is the provision of a liquid pumping system in which the discharge of liquid will be unaffected by the entrance of large quantities of air or other gas into the suction piping.

Another object is the provision of a discharge box for a centrifugal pump, all necessary permanent piping being connected to the discharge box; thus the pump may be removed for replacement or repair without disturbing the piping.

A still further object is the provision of a discharge box or separator chamber ,so constructed as to eifect a high degree of separation of gas from the liquid stream.

An important feature of our invention is the means we utilize to eliminate unpriming gas from a pump system, first, by collecting and storing the gas in a priming chamber, second, return- 7 ing it to the liquid stream at a rate slow enough that it will not cause the pump to lose its prime, and third, eliminating it from the system in a discharge or separator box of novel design.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a pumping system'embodying one form of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a partially cut-away end view of the priming chamber unit shown as part of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on'the line 4'4 of Fig. 3. I

Like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the figures.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the pumping system shown includes the motor driven centrifugal pump 2|, discharge box 22, priming chamber unit 23, injector '24, foot or check valve 26, and. strainer 21.

The pump 2| is preferably of the centrifugal type having the impeller 28 rotatable within the volutechamber 29 by the motor 3| and serves to.draw fluid through the inlet passage 32 and discharge it through the outlet passage '33 into the separation chamber 34 of the discharge box 22 in the direction of the arrows.

The housing 36 of the discharge or separator box 22 is formed to enclose the storage chamber 34 where the fluid entering at the inlet port 31 is divided, as will be considered in greater detail below, into two streams,'one stream passing through the upperly positioned discharge port 38, and the other stream passing to the recirculation port 39 and through the pressure pipe 4| to the jet pump or injector 24., A conventional plug cock or valve 42 is provided in the upper part of the discharge box housing 36 to control the rate of flow through the port 38 into the discharge pipe 43, thereby controlling the back pressure built up in the chamber 34; a pressure gauge 44 is mounted on the housing andcommunicates with the chamber 34 for indicating.

ber 52 into which the high pressure pipe 4| leads. V

The nozzle 49 is adapted to direct its jet vertically upward through the low pressure recess 5| into a diifuser or Venturi tube 50 which is threaded into the housing 53 at the upper end of the recess 5|. The eductor or difiuser tube 50 has a bore 54 of gradually increasing taper flaring upward into the return or low pressure pipe 56.

The priming chamber unit 23 has a housing comprising an inverted shell or dome 51 mounted; on the base portion 58 and has a priming cham-' ber 59 of substantial storage capacity. An in verted U-tube'member 62, having upstanding inlet and outlet legs 63 and 64, is mounted upon the" base member 58 in any suitable manner, as bybolts 66. Apertures 6'|, formed-in the upper part of. the outlet leg 64, having inwardly extending lips 68 on the upstream side of the apertures,

serve to regulate the flow of air or gas'in and out of the priming chamber in a novel manner presently to be described in detail; and the opening 69, at-the lower part of the outlet legjfi4'coop'e-ferates with the-apertures 6'! to facilitate the pjas sage of priming liquid'in and out of the storage chamber in a novel manner-,also presently to be;

described.- Inlet and'outlet passages H and 12 formed in the base-portion 58- are, so spaced as to bein registration with'the inlet and outlet legs 63 and 64, respectively.-

Another important part of our invention lies'in the manner in which we have'joinedthe priming unit outlet passage 72 to the pump inlet passage 32. This is accomplished by providing the ported by-pass passage 13 extending completely through the discharge box housing 36 and by-passing the separating chamber 34 thus, by joining the priming unit outlet. ,passage to one end ofcthe by-pass passage 13 by means of the conduit 14', and by bolting the pump casing 20 directly upon the discharge box so that the pump inlet 32 and the other end of the by-pass passaget'i3 are inRregistry, the pump may be dismantled for repair or replacement without disturbinganyipiping cohnec tion.

To consider the operationofethe pumping-sys-- tem, assume the injector 24 is immersed in a source of water supply 41 and thedischargepipex;

43 is connected to a point of water delivery such as a conventional pressure tank (not shown): The system will be initially primed by removing the plug i=1 6 and introducing water. into;th'e prim- '1 through the nozzle '49 the jet entering the diffuser tube 50 creates a partial vacuum in the recess 5| since this recess communicates with the foot valve 26 the well water is forced by atmospheric and submersion pressure through the strainer 21, foot valve 26; and recess 51? into the. difiuser tube 58 where the two streams mix. Hereinyas the velocity of the water is lowered, the velocity head is converted into pressure head which is capable of lifting thezcolumn-iof water within the return pipe 56 to the pump. Water fiowingpastrthe apertures 51 in the inverted-U-tube,:liilyvillv create a low pressure area withinlgrtheilJ'etube adjacent each aperture; this will cause the.air"previously stored in the upper partpfrthe.domefilgtogbe aspirated back into the water stream at a rate slow enough that it will not cause -the pump to lose its prime.

ingucha'mberc, 59? untir it Eis filled this will sub-' stantially: fillr the system with water except-for air.-'pockets at various locations which "must be" purged byzpumpingn The valve 'oricock 12' is closed :andvthe motor-is then started, icausingrotation of-the impeller 28, which in turn draws; water from the priming chamber 59 thr oughthe opening69,=conduit 74, :by-pass passage 'IS and inietfpassage :32 into the" eyeof 'the impeller which discharges the water into the volute- 29 from which it flows: through the dischargebox inlet -31 1 into: the E separating chamber 34;

valve M during-the initial or pr iming phase-of the starting operation, all thewater (and 5 air, -in- Inasmuch a's the discharge port 38 is entirely' olosed of1-by-thecluded with '-it)=which'enters the chamber 34is;, forced through the recirculation port 39; down; the'pressure pipe 4l to-theinjector, and back; up the return pipe 56 through; the priming unit 23;"

draw-ingthe air from the various parts; conduits and passages.

As the watermontaining air,

bubblesis passed-through;the-inverted U-shaped tube" 62; the' bubbles or slugs'of air, separate ,out i. and pass through theapertures 61 into'the upperm part -of -the' priming chamber 59;displacing .an equivalent-volumeof water from the priming.

chamber which enters. the flowing; water stream v.

through the opening-69 atthe bottom of the leg,

64* and passes through--thepriming unit outletqj.

port 12 backtdthe pump; Continued rotation of S'I'a'nd-arr equivalent quantity of make-up water has passed into the water stream through the opening- 691* After-thepsystemjs primed in, this manner the operatoropens-the, cook 42' to the requi1'ed=degreeas; indicated by the pressure gauge: 44 the-extent towhich the cockis opened,

depending-upon the amount of pressure ,which ,the' l 1 operatordesires to apply'against the nozzle 49: ThecockA-Zds then fiXed in-the required" position;

andnt'henceforth willfrequire no' changeoradjustment'during the life of the pump; "or until-git is:

necessarywto -dismantle' the pump or ier-some reason the-system loses-the charge of water-in the-priming chamber; Upon opening of the cock M a part-:of the water-handled by the impeller passes-out throughthe-pipe l3=to a point of -dis-- charge (not-shown); and-the-remainder is recirculatedthrough "the' nozzle 49 T andthe Venturi tube 50 to continue the pumpingaction.

With thecock 42open to permit discharge-from thesystem;when water under pressure "is forced- This air passes through the pump into the discharge box separating chamber-34L Which is so constructed as to efiect the separation and discharged-this air. T0 takemaximum advantage of-the-buoy=- ancy ofthe air bubbles in carrying'out this separation, the V discharge" port 3B is located inythe upper portion of-thehousing; and therecircula' tion' port 39 is positioned ;in-theoppositewall somewhat lower than-,theinletport-31so'that' I flow 'to the recirculation port must-be horizontal f in' addition to'downwardly'i It'is preferable .that therebe no directfiline betweenthe:inlet'and;re= circulation ports so:that-water passing therebe-i tween must move in a curved or"non-rectilinear path "tofurther facilitate.,the separation. of .air bubbles; this is accomplished; wither-construction shown bypositioning the bypass passage portion 13 withinvthelhousing. solthat fluidpassingrfromil the inlet port 31 must .fidw around,this passagew to .reach the recirculation .,port..v

It will. be-.obvious.that,ourlpumping system ,isadaptable to .deep I well .;ser.vice,as the: force, exerted by .the pumpmayl-be applied at the vbottoms; of a columnof waterv in thelpipe lflr The height;- of the pump.- 2 I above-. theawater line, -.is not Jim-i 2* ited to 25-4, thegreatest practicalzheighti,to lift water by atmospheric pressure:

Thus it willzbepbviousv-that we haveprovidedaa new-andusefulpumping system which is especial-x. .7 1y advantageous for use in pumping against headsm exceeding 25: of wa-tenzwh-ichis se feprim ng even when used; with; gasyproducing wellsgandi which: will eliminate gas from the SYStQIIIYWlthOlltZthfil-S usezof :additional emovingzparts :suchx as the ball float valv es and: the eliketwhich'sjare rconventiorr-fi ally ,used fonzthisnpurpose.

The foregoing description has been given byi way:- of illustration of a preferred embodiment-oi the invention and is believed to convey a full-amh fair description-of the principlesthereon-adequate to permit those skilled=i1rthe=art;to 'practice=the-- samezy- We claim 2 1. A primingscha'mber unit for'a pumping sys tem comprising a base portionyi'a shellefnountede upon said baseaportiort,andenclosinga storage chamber therebetweengtxan -inverted- 5U -'sha'ped. tube mounted upomsaid 'base portion having in letand outlet :legs within-saidstorage-chamber, said base portion having-inletandoutlet -pas sages communicating:with' said' inlet and" outlet L legsy respectivelypsaid "U-shaped-tube -halving-gaspirating means atahupper portion thereof'and aperture means at-a lower portion-thereofyboth said storage chamber and- -the" interior of'said tube, whereby when said tube contains a flowing mixtureof air and water the 'air of said mixture will be collected at a rapid rate in said storage chamber and an amount of water'equivalent to the volume of said collected air will be displaced from said chamber through 'said aperture means, and whereby when said tube contains substantially only water flowing therein said collected air will be returned to saidtube at a slow rate by said aspirating means and an amount of water equivalent to the volume of said returned air will be drawn into said storage chamber through said aperture.

2. A priming chamber unit for a pumping system comprising a base portion,'a shell mounted in a leak-proof manner upon said base portion and enclosing a combination gas and liquid storage chamber therewithin, an inverted. U- shaped tube mounted upon said base portion having inlet and outlet legs within said storage chamber, said base portion having inlet and outlet passages communicating with said inlet and outlet legs, respectively, said U-shaped tube having apertured aspirating means at an upper portion thereof providing communication with said storage chamber to effect the flow of gas between said tube and storage chamber, and the end of one of said legs being in spaced relation to the corresponding passage in the base to provide communication with said storage chamber to permit the flow of make-up liquid between said storage chamber and said outlet passage as required to compensate for the flow of gas through said aspirating means.

3. A priming chamber unit-for a pumping system comprising a base portion, a shell mounted upon said base portion and enclosing a storage chamber therebetween, an inverted U-shaped tube mounted upon said base portion having inlet and outlet legs within said storage chamber, said base portion having inlet and outlet passages communicating with said inlet and outlet legs, respectively, said U-shaped tube member having an aperture at an upper portion thereof providing communication with said storage chamber, and one of said legs having an opening in spaced relation to the corresponding passage in the base portion and positioned to provide communication with said storage chamber.

4. In a deep well pumping system of the character described, the combination of: a pump for pumping fluid from a well and having an inlet passage and an outlet passage; conduit means having an end connected to said inlet passage and having a portion arranged to be disposed in said well; a separator box having an inlet port in communication with said outlet passage, a discharge port for connection to a liquid receiving tank and a, recirculation port, a jet pump connected to said recirculation port and operatively associated with said portion of the conduit means in the well to aid said pump in pumping fluid through said conduit means,'and air separation means in said conduit means between said portion of the conduit means in the well and said pump for separating large quantities of gas from the fluid stream flowing through said conduit means during the pump priming process and for subsequently restoring said gas to said conduit means at a relatively low rate after the pump is primed.

5. In a deep well pumping system of the character described, the combination of a pump for pumping fluid from a well and having inlet and outlet passages; conduit means connected to said tube being operatively associated with said conduit means, and a priming unit disposed in said conduit means adjacent said pump comprising a housing having a, chamber, a port forming part of said conduit means and in direct communication with said inlet passage and an apertured inverted U-shaped tube positioned in said chamber to have one end in communication with said jet pump and one end spaced from said last mentioned port.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a pump for pumping fluid from a well and having inlet and outlet passages; conduit means connect-ed to said pump inlet passage and having an end portion arranged to be disposed in said Well, a discharge box having an inlet port in communication with said outlet passage, a discharge port positioned above said inlet port and arranged for connection to a liquid receiving tank, and a recirculation port spaced apart from and below said inlet port; a jet pump connected to said recirculation port and in communication with and forming a part of said end portion of the conduit means to aid in pumping fluid from the well; and a priming unit connected in said conduit means between said pump and said jet pump comprising a casing having a chamber, an inlet port connected with said jet pump through said conduit means and an outlet port in communication with said inlet passage of said pump through said conduit means and an in verted U-shaped tube mounted in said priming chamber having one leg directly connected with said inlet port and the other leg in spaced relation to the outlet port, said other leg having an aperture formed therein at a position adjacent the top of said chamber.

'7. A deep well pumping system comprising: a pump for pumping fluid from a well and having inlet and outlet passages; a discharge box having an air separation chamber, an inlet port, a discharge port and a recirculation port, said inlet port being in communication with said pump outlet passage, said ports being positioned to have a generally upwardly directed flow from the inlet port to the discharge port and a generally downwardly directed flow in a non-rectilinear path from the inlet port to the recirculation port to efiect maximum separation of gas from the fluid as it flows from the inlet to the recirculation port, a jet pump disposed in said well in communication with said recirculation port and the inlet passage to aid said pump in pumping fluid from the well, and a combination U-shaped tube having aperture means at an up-" pumpsand temporarily storing said: gas; in said chamber untiltthe pump .is primedhand'said aper-.

ture'f meanstth'ereafter effecting thewremoval' of gas fromisaid'chamberrat'fa rate slow enough to prevent: thetfformation .of air pockets. 1

8. In'ta device :ofzthe character-described; the" combinationiof: a pump for pumping fluidhfrom."

a well and"; haying antinlet passagetand: an out, let: passage; iconduit me'ans:-in communication with said pump and having a remote'portion" aroutlettpassage, a discharge port positioned above said inlet port for'connectionto'a liquidreceiving tank, a recirculation port spaced from and below said inlet port and a tubular portionform inga, part of'said conduit means insaid box disposed between said-inlet portand said recir-- cu-lation port to form an obstruction to cause the fluid to flow in a curved path between these ports; a jet pump connected to said recirculation'port and operatively associated with said remote portion of the conduit means in the well torzaid'is'aid pump: in pumping: fluid:tl'ntoughi.saidf= conduit .mans and: airseparation. means in said conduit means between -said:remote portion of I the conduitmeans and saidpump for separating largequantities of gas from the fluid stream flowing -throughsaid conduitzmea-ns during the pump priming-x-process and-.for subsequently restoring said gas to said conduitame-ans at a relatively 10W rate afterethe pumpzis primed.

JOHN L. -BOVEE,JR. ELMER. -M. DETERS.

REFERENCES CITED" The followingreferences are of "record: inthe file of this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Number Name Date 784,185? Sharood Mar. '7, 1905 1,724,690 I Aldrich Aug. 13,1929 2,274,987 Lung Mar. 3,, 1942 2,319,509' Lung? May 18, 1943' 2,335,109 I Conery'. Nov. 23,1943

FOREIGN: PATENTS Number Country Date 202,595 GreatBritain Aug. 18, '1923 373,039 Germany Mar. 21, 1922 

